How the Andes Shaped Life in South America
In How the Andes Shaped Life in South America, narrator Iain Stewart explains how the Andes have shaped South America in incredible ways, creating the Amazon River and its rainforest. One of the Andes’ most amazing residents is the llama, built for high-altitude life. But llamas didn’t originate in South America — they came from North America and crossed over millions of years ago when the continents connected. Today, just like the llamas once did, people bring new foods, technology, and ideas to the Andes, showing the world is more connected than ever! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Rise of the Continents, which uncovers how Earth’s continents formed and shaped life over millions of years.
Lesson Express
Q: How did the Andes Mountains shape both the ecosystems and the movement of species in South America?
A: The Andes redirected rivers toward the Atlantic, creating the Amazon rainforest, one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. They also cast a rain shadow, forming the dry Atacama Desert. Additionally, when North and South America connected, species like llamas, big cats, deer, and more crossed over, forever changing the ecosystems in the Andes.
Q: Why do you think llamas became so well adapted to the high-altitude environment of the Andes, while other animals struggled to survive?
A: Llamas evolved with physical traits that help them survive in high altitudes, such as an enlarged heart, strong lungs, and a high red blood cell count to handle low oxygen levels. Other animals without these adaptations may not have been able to thrive in such extreme conditions.
Q: How does the idea of continents connecting and species migrating relate to globalization today?
A: Just as llamas and other animals moved between continents when land bridges formed, people today share goods, technology, and ideas across the world. The Andes may be remote, but they still experience modern influences, showing how no place is completely isolated in our connected world.